NY State of Health Helps Students Start the School Year Strong with Health Coverage

Enrollment Assistors will be on-site at Back- to- School Events Across NYS

Enrollment in Child Health Plus Open Year-Round

ALBANY, N.Y. (August 30, 2018) - NY State of Health, the state’s official health plan Marketplace, is providing information about affordable health insurance coverage options to families at free Back-to-School events. Certified enrollment assistors will be available at locations throughout the state to answer questions and make appointments to complete real-time enrollments in a health plan through the Marketplace. Additionally, NY State of Health is including educational materials in thousands of student backpacks to inform parents about the availability of free or low-cost health insurance through the Marketplace.

"Back to school means back to learning for students, and this year it means a chance for parents and caregivers to learn about the affordable health plans available through the Marketplace,'' said NY State of Health Executive Director Donna Frescatore.
"Enrolling children in health insurance is a step toward ensuring that youngsters feel and perform their best throughout the school year."

Under Governor Cuomo’s leadership, New York State has one of the lowest rates of uninsured children in the nation, however, there’s still work to be done. Approximately 15,000 children in the state are eligible but have not enrolled in subsidized coverage through New York’s Child Health Plus (CHP) program, which provides coverage for children up to age 19 in households with incomes up to 400 percent of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) or a family of four with an income of about $100,000. In New York State, CHP has been tremendously successful serving approximately 375,000 children who may not otherwise have access to health coverage. CHP is comprehensive health insurance that covers services including preventive care such as routine checkups, immunizations, doctor visits, prescription coverage, as well as hospital care, dental and vision care, and more. Learn more about CHP here.

NY State of Health assistors will be on site at the following Back-to-School events:

August 30, 2018

141st Street, between Hamilton Place and Amsterdam Avenue, Manhattan, 5pm-7:30pm

All health plans offered through NY State of Health cover preventive care, such as routine doctor visits and screenings, at no additional cost. Enrollment in Medicaid, Child Health Plus and the Essential Plan is open all year.